My first Re-Fret job.. Tiss the season; oh Joy!!

[Freeman Keller]

Thanks, no binding anywhere on mine to contend with. I bought a pre sloted 25" maple board from stew Mac that I'm going to dye with India ink like the original. Should I dye it and install the dots before frets? Seems like I should.
Mine is in pieces but it is this exact model.

This should probably be a new thread, but if you need any help I have had mine apart and back together a couple of times. As you probably know there are four flat head wood screws under marker dots on the fretboard extension that hold the neck onto the body plus one screw on the neck stick inside. Take those out and the neck falls off which would make it much easier to work on.

 

[Wildeman]

This should probably be a new thread, but if you need any help I have had mine apart and back together a couple of times. As you probably know there are four flat head wood screws under marker dots on the fretboard extension that hold the neck onto the body plus one screw on the neck stick inside. Take those out and the neck falls off which would make it much easier to work on.

Thanks, I'll start a new thread.

 

[giogolf]

PHASE 4...
Quick Fret polish,String up, Nut install, truss rod adjustment

So, today I tackled the Nut.. For what its worth, I should have bought a blank, I'm not terribly happy with the spacing, but its more than adequate.. I filed the slots and smoothed them out to get them to spec. Truss rod is adjusted to around .005" so nearly flat.. But its cold and dry here so it will move around a bit..

Only issue I encountered is not being able to lower the action anymore.. The Madeira has a weird saddle.. Its a metal tray with the saddle sitting inside and the 2 grub screws adjust the action and tilt.. In theory this is a a good design, if not a little over kill however I am nearly bottomed out to the max and cant really go lower.. In a perfect world I need to lower the saddle by 2/64ths and this thing would play like butter.. Pics included if anyone has any ideas on how to lower without major surgery..

Im going to play it for awhile, while I wait for some supplies to come in (Micro-Mesh to polish these rock hard frets and a proper fret dressing file..

Pics as always...

 

[Freeman Keller]

I'm going to guess that your guitar really does need a neck reset which of course opens a whole 'nother can of worms. As far as the adjustable saddle assembly - it was a great idea that didn't work out that well. They showed up on some Epiphones and other guitars in the 1970's - I have been asked to convert a couple to fixed saddles like most acoustics. Once again, that opens another can. One guy had lost one of the adjuster bolts and rather than trying to jury rig something I filled the big slot with rosewood and routed a normal sized saddle slot.

However if the neck angle isn't right the style of saddle really doesn't matter.

 

[giogolf]

I'm going to guess that your guitar really does need a neck reset which of course opens a whole 'nother can of worms. As far as the adjustable saddle assembly - it was a great idea that didn't work out that well. They showed up on some Epiphones and other guitars in the 1970's - I have been asked to convert a couple to fixed saddles like most acoustics. Once again, that opens another can. One guy had lost one of the adjuster bolts and rather than trying to jury rig something I filled the big slot with rosewood and routed a normal sized saddle slot.

However if the neck angle isn't right the style of saddle really doesn't matter.

Oh boy, a neck rest isn't something I'm willing to tackle just yet.. I could fill the saddle and add in a normal saddle, but I think you are eluding that that really wont fix the issue as well..

I can shave the saddle a bit more, and then just live with it I guess. At least its way easier to fret a note on the medium jumbos than the micro frets that were on the guitar previously

Thanks as always

 

[Freeman Keller]

If you go back to any of my setup discussions, the second thing I always check is the neck angle and geometry (first is hydration of course). Acceptable neck angle means we look at all the other things. Bad neck angle.....

There are two tests - a straight edge sitting on the frets should be at the top of the bridge (not saddle) or even a hair above. If it is down a ways towards the top you just won't have enough saddle to bet playable action (which is what you are seeing).

The second test is sort of a boolean - IF you have acceptable action AND you have 1/8 inch of saddle sticking out of the slot THEN your neck angle is good. It sounds like you are failing both those conditions.

Doesn't mean you can't lower the saddle as much as possible and continue to play, but one of these days it will need to have the neck taken off and set at a better angle.

Filling the big slot was a way to get around the hardware issue, the neck angle on mine wasn't great but it was acceptable.

 

[giogolf]

If you go back to any of my setup discussions, the second thing I always check is the neck angle and geometry (first is hydration of course). Acceptable neck angle means we look at all the other things. Bad neck angle.....

There are two tests - a straight edge sitting on the frets should be at the top of the bridge (not saddle) or even a hair above. If it is down a ways towards the top you just won't have enough saddle to bet playable action (which is what you are seeing).

The second test is sort of a boolean - IF you have acceptable action AND you have 1/8 inch of saddle sticking out of the slot THEN your neck angle is good. It sounds like you are failing both those conditions.

Doesn't mean you can't lower the saddle as much as possible and continue to play, but one of these days it will need to have the neck taken off and set at a better angle.

Filling the big slot was a way to get around the hardware issue, the neck angle on mine wasn't great but it was acceptable.

Unfortunately my saddle (rosewood portion) sits about 2/64ths proud of the top of the frets.. So it fails the test.. Ill just live with it.. Im just a hair under 7/64ths action at the 12th.. Not to to horrible; great for slide though